Earth Day History

In 1969, a massive oil spill occurred in Santa Barbara. A U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, visited the spill site and was inspired to establish the first national Earth Day on April 22, 1970. The first Earth Day saw 20 million Americans take to the streets and parks to express support for the environment. Public support for efforts to improve the environment led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act.  Read more about Earth Day’s history. Earth Day is officially April 22 every year, and the month of April is considered Earth Month.  See Tips for Clean Air for what you can do for our planet.

Earth Day Festivals 2022

We will be participating in two Earth Day events on Saturday, April 23. If you are attending these events, we encourage you stop by our booth to say hello and learn about air quality. We will have information about protecting yourself from wildfire smoke as well as an activity for kids.

• Santa Barbara Earth Day at the Arlington Theater
• Guadalupe Earth Day at the Dunes Center
  • Did you participate in the Clean Air Rooms Pilot Program for Guadalupe and Casmalia residents? Please fill out this brief survey.

Air Quality Information & Resources

• Subscribe to receive air quality alerts and news via text and/or email
• View current air quality conditions and forecasts
• Learn how to create a “clean air room” to protect against wildfire smoke
• Follow us on Twitter and Instagram
• See a map of our permitted facilities
• Clean Air Ambassadors program for classrooms
• Learn about low-cost sensors
• Check out our grants and incentive programs